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Up to date, high-level business information that is relevant to our clients and contacts, helping keep up to date on the ver-changing business world of today.

Cal Wilson / November 7, 2023

Pursuing creativity through insecurity  

Creativity is a huge asset in any workplace. Employers and workplaces that encourage and nurture their employees’ creativity will see the benefit through improved problem-solving capabilities, increased innovation, enhanced employee satisfaction, and ultimately, a stronger competitive advantage in the marketplace. 

But what about you, as an individual, bringing creativity to your work? It’s easier said than done, especially with mounting pressures and external stressors competing for your energy. Likewise, many of us face significant imposter syndrome or self-doubt when it comes to creative endeavors.  

In this article of the Pulse, we look at how you can pursue creativity even amid stress or insecurity. 

You don’t have to be a virtuoso. 

Even if you’re nervous of your creative capacity, you’ve probably got more ability than you think.  

As James C Kaufman, a professor of educational psychology and creativity expert, wrote for Aeon magazine, “many people assume that an individual’s artistic talents, such as drawing, writing, or playing a musical instrument, are the best (or only) way to determine if they are creative.” 

Many people are discouraged from pursuing creative projects or from developing their own creativity if they don’t see it resulting in some measure of artistic excellence. This kind of pressure, or comparison to others’ abilities, is killer. Kaufman calls this kind of thinking “genius bias” or the assumption that “the only creativity of note was that of brilliant creators.” 

If you’re falling prey to this, there are steps you can take to nurture your own creativity.  

You’re more creative than you think.  

Whether or not you’re an accomplished painter or violinist, you probably exercise creative ability every day at work. Every time you consider a new approach to a problem, a different way or organizing a physical or digital space, or find new ways to collaborate, you tap into a creative well. Basically, creativity necessitates original thinking and the ability to try new methods or processes.  

However, don’t mistake that for requiring novelty. Like a genius bias, Kaufman explains that many people feeling blocked creatively “have a ‘novelty bias’ – they focus only on the aspect of creativity that requires originality, to the exclusion of its other elements. But creativity encompasses much more than just producing something new.” 

Creativity applies to your mindset and approach to doing things, including your everyday work. Whether that’s altering your sales pitch to be more effective for a specific prospect, leading a meeting with your peers, or presenting your work.

Don’t count yourself out. 

Whether you’re insecure about your own creative capacity when it comes to a project at work, or nervous about pursuing new creative ventures, counting yourself out isn’t the way to go. When in doubt, think of the little creative things you do every day, from telling a joke to thinking of a quick fix to a household problem, and remind yourself that your creativity is inherent.  

As Kaufman says, “if you see these everyday behaviours as creative, and you therefore believe that you can be creative and identify as a creative person, it will make you more likely to practise creativity. You can’t succeed if you don’t try.” 

In conclusion
 

It’s easy to believe you’re insufficiently creative, when our society mostly judges creativity by artistic achievement. But you likely practice creativity every day without realizing, and have a potential for creativity larger than you know.  

Cal Wilson / October 30, 2023

How does the telecom industry tackle sustainability?

When we think of industries that play an important role in global sustainability efforts, telecommunications might not be the first that comes to mind. Maybe you think of oil and gas, the automotive industry, farming, etc. However, advancements in telecommunications have a huge impact on sustainability.  

In this article, we look at some of the ways the telecom industry tackles sustainability, and some of the issues it still faces.  

The positive impact of the telecom industry. 

Advancements in telecommunications have improved sustainability in a plethora of ways. Some of those benefits have included: 

  • Reduced travel emissions as a result of video conferencing, cloud collaboration, and other remote capabilities.  
  • Efficiency improvements brought on by developments like fiber optic networks.  
  • Tech that eliminates wasted materials, like cloud collaboration, eSignature, and so on.  

As telecom continues to advance, the sustainability possibilities also increase.  

However, there are still inefficiencies.  

While the telecom industry presents so much opportunity for positive change, it is not without its negatives. For example, telecommunications infrastructure consumes energy at high rates. Data centers, in particular, require a lot of electricity not only to power, but to keep cool.  

Likewise, in order for our telecommunications systems to exist the way they do, there is an environmental toll: 

  • The production of telecom equipment, from mining materials to manufacturing, involves resource-intensive processes.  
  • Electronic waste, when not recycled in a proper e-waste program, is an ever-growing issue in global landfills, exacerbated by the rapid advancement making old gadgets obsolete.  
  • Network expansion into remote or ecologically sensitive areas has been known to have a negative impact on local environments and wildlife. 

Recent concerns have brought this topic into the forefront.  

The environmental impact of telcos made headlines this past July when The Wall Street Journal published an investigative journalism exposé revealing that AT&T, Verizon, and other telecom companies have left a massive network across the U.S. of old cables covered in toxic lead. 

Most of these cables were laid between the late 1800s and 1960s, then simply never removed and left to degrade. The exposĂ© found that “2,000 old telco cables has degraded over time and contaminated myriad locations in water, in the soil and from overhead lines. Many of these locations are in places where people live and work. Some of the locations are in schoolyards. According to its independent tests, some lead levels in sediment and soil measured 14.5 times the EPA threshold for areas where children play.” 

While the telcos responsible for this have all responded differently, the takeaway is clear. The infrastructure used by the telecom industry has the potential to change the environment around it, and not always for the better. Using safe and responsible materials, and keeping better track of outdated hardware, is critical. 

What are telcos doing to address sustainability? 

Many telecom companies are actively working to reduce their environmental footprint through energy-efficient technologies, renewable energy adoption, and responsible waste management. For example, the transition to 5G networks, which are more energy-efficient overall, is one of the gradual solutions to improving the telecommunications industries’ sustainability.  

Several of the world’s biggest telcos are on their way to reducing emissions significantly or achieving sustainability within the next few years. Verizon, for instance, is on track to reduce emissions by 53% by 2030.  

In conclusion
 

The telecommunications industry has both positive and negative environmental impacts. On the one hand, advancements have increased sustainability in all other walks of life. However, such large operations, networks, and infrastructure takes its toll as well.  

Justin Cociu / October 24, 2023

The Power of Giving and Receiving Referrals

Referrals are a powerful tool for any company. Reaching new clients is an essential part of running a successful business, and if you want to leverage the power of referrals, you must take action. 

Many of those running their own businesses do not bother with referrals. Perhaps they find asking for referrals uncomfortable, or maybe they assume that their clients will naturally be inclined to refer them by word of mouth. Assuming that referrals will come flowing in as a result of good customer service and a great product alone is shortsighted, and the problem with not proactively asking for referrals is that you’re missing out on one of the most effective ways to gain more business. 

If you are new to networking, it can be a bit overwhelming to think about referrals. While not a guaranteed path to success, referrals can help in many circumstances, particularly at the beginning of the relationship with a new client. 

Giving a referral is usually very easy, but getting a quality referral, often takes a little more work. When looking to generate more referrals, here are some ideas to remember: 

Do a great job. 

Give them something good to talk about. It goes without saying, but you need to over-deliver your products and sell your services to your clients. By creating a remarkable experience, they will remember you, and hopefully refer you to other people! 

Be generous/ Create a paid referral program.  

Being generous is one of the most underrated things you can do in your business. For example, offering incentives for your client and their referral can be an excellent motivator. Likewise, the rewards associated with expanding your network is typically well worth the cost of discounting services for a repeat client. Who wouldn’t like making a couple of dollars off a simple recommendation? A strategic paid referral program can help any business get new customers, and at a relatively low price. It’s a win-win situation, so make use of your current customers, and financially motivate them to help spread the word! 

Referrals go both ways. 

Referrals are memorable, and giving a referral is one of the best ways to get one in return. Proactively sending referrals or leaving detailed reviews for your clients can be motivation for them to return the favor. Importantly, giving quality referrals often supplies your prospects with a reason to contact you. If you don’t have specific contacts for referrals, leaving a positive endorsement on social media sites such as LinkedIn can have a similar effect. 

Keep it simple. 

An effective way to receive an online referral, is to make sure what you are asking for is simple to understand and not demanding to complete. By sending a referral request with a quick and actionable way to respond – perhaps including a fillable form or a direct Google review link – will help keep the communication direct and easy. 

Ask for a client testimonial. 

Asking for referrals can be awkward, as there’s a lot at stake when attaching your reputation to someone else’s word. If asking for a referral doesn’t sit right with you, request a testimonial instead. A short, written endorsement of your company and your work can be just as effective when posted on a website and in other marketing materials. 

Show your appreciation. 

If you receive an endorsement from a current or former client, be sure to express your appreciation by following up with a simple thank-you phone call or message. This will help to strengthen the relationship, and they will be more likely to recommend your services again in the future. 

Cal Wilson / October 16, 2023

Tips for your business’ compressed gas cylinder safety

If your business works with compressed gases, you’ll know that the safe storage, handling, and maintenance of gas cylinders is critically important. Misuse of these cylinders is a serious safety risk. In this article, we’re looking at tips for proper compressed gas cylinder handling and maintenance.  

Why are gas cylinders a potential hazard? 

Because of the highly pressurized nature of compressed gas cylinders, as well as the different chemical makeups of the gases they contain, these containers come with some risks, including: 

  • Oxygen displacement 
  • Fire and explosions 
  • Toxic gas exposure 
  • Projectile potential 

These dangers are why it’s important to store, handle, and maintain cylinders with care. Improper conditions can lead to damage, injury, and even death. So, what are the some of the best safety tips? 

Gas cylinder handling tips. 

When you or your staff are handling gas cylinders, keep the following best practices in mind: 

  • Use the smallest reasonable cylinder size for the job at hand. 
  • Avoid rough handling, dropping, and banging cylinders together.  
  • Never compromise the valves or other safety devices.  
  • Always ensure staff are wearing the correct personal protective equipment (PPE). 
  • Use a proper cart or stand to transport cylinders, rather than rolling them on the ground. 

Cylinder storage tips. 

Likewise, even when you’re not actively using the compressed gas cylinders, the way they’re stored is critically important. Best practices include: 

  • Ensure all cylinders are properly identified. 
  • Always store cylinders upright.  
  • Do not keep cylinders longer than your vendor recommends. 
  • Do not store cylinders near combustible waste or other materials. 
  • Store cylinders away from the sun, flames, sparks, and areas that reach or exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit. 
  • Be aware if you have cylinders that are best stored behind firewalls.  
  • Never store or rest anything on top of a cylinder.  
  • Store any oxygen cylinders at least 20 feet from fuel gas cylinders. 

Cylinder maintenance tips. 

When it comes to refills and cylinder maintenance, like refills, proper care is also important. Best practices include: 

  • Only get refills from specialists affiliated with your provider.  
  • Always follow the proper procedure for assembling and disassembling cylinders. 
  • If there is ever a leak or any damage to one of your cylinders, label it to warn others, and immediately notify your supplier.  

Employee training is a priority. 

While some of this may seem like common sense, assuming what employees will or will not consider isn’t worth the risk. For any employees working with or around compressed gas cylinders, providing extensive and regular training is the best way to avoid disaster.  

In conclusion
 

When working with compressed gas, safety is of the utmost importance. These storage, handling, and maintenance tips are best practices to protect you, your employees, and your business. 

Joe Weppler / October 2, 2023

ELD Failures: How they happen, and what to do about them.

Electronic Logging Devices have become absolutely essential to the average truck driver’s daily routine. Thousands of fleet-operating businesses rely on tracking software and logging devices to keep their operations running smoothly. ELDs communicate directly with a vehicle’s engine and record driving activity, engine hours, ignition status, location, miles driven, and more. These statistics help businesses refine and optimize their routes and loads. Additionally, government regulations require many companies to utilize ELD to log duty status.  

So when your business relies on ELDs for optimization, and they’re also required to be operational in your fleet vehicles by law – what happens when they fail? How do you avoid running into compliance issues and keep operations running smoothly?  

ELD Regulation and Technical Compliance 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is part of the Department of Transportation and its primary aim is to improve the road safety of commercial vehicles and minimise accidents. They operate as the primary regulating body for the trucking industry in the United States and are responsible for the ELD mandate. Operating with an ELD is also a legal requirement in Canada per mandate by Transport Canada.  

ELDs are designed to track their own compliance with technical requirements and identify malfunctions in several areas including:  

  • Data Transmission 
  • GPS location and timing 
  • Engine power records 
  • Data Synchronization  

When an ELD recognizes that it may be malfunctioning, it alerts the driver. According to the FMCSA, there are two common types of ELD issues: Data diagnostics failures and ELD malfunctions.  

What constitutes an ELD Malfunction?  

An issue with the data diagnostics communicated by the ELD completely invalidate the use of the ELD in the first place. Data diagnostic issues can occur for a wide variety of reasons – physical mechanical failures, a loss of GPS, simple connectivity issues, or even just the ELD itself becoming detached from the Engine Control Module.  

Many data diagnostic problems can be assessed, troubleshot, and resolved by the drivers themselves when the ELD notifies them there is an issue.  

More serious ELD malfunctions occur in the event of loss of power to the device, mechanical malfunctions and data recording and backup failures. The FMCSA maintains a list of common malfunctions and their causes, as well as a driver’s responsibilities (along with their motor carrier) under the law should an ELD malfunction take place.  

In the event of a malfunction
 

Drivers must inform their carrier of the malfunction within 24 hours of the issue. Their carrier then has eight days to repair, service, or replace the ELD.  

In the event that the malfunction prevents the device from performing its primary function – recording Hours of Service (HOS) data – the driver is responsible for using either paper logs or a secondary system to record their HOS. Carriers can extend the time permitted for repair or replacement of the device by contacting the FMCSA.  

The bottom line when it comes to ELD malfunctions is that, if the issue isn’t resolvable by the driver immediately, the Hours of Service data must continue to be tracked until the device is operational again or replaced. By ensuring you have a backup in place or shifting to paper logs until the ELD is operating as intended, you can avoid potential compliance failure fines.  

Cal Wilson / September 26, 2023

Workplace success tips for introverts

A lot of us consider ourselves introverts; someone characterized by introspection, enjoying alone time, and preferring small groups for social interaction. While introverts can be just as socially proficient as everyone else, being in a busy office or workplace environment does take an extra toll on them.  

In this issue of the Pulse, we look at strategies introverts can employ to even the playing field and thrive in a socially demanding workplace environment. 

Organizations need introverts. 

The first thing to remember is that introversion is not a liability, but an asset. Introverts bring a lot of value to their roles. For example, introverts often possess great observational skills, keen focus, and the ability to think about problem-solving at a different angle than their extrovert counterparts.  

An effective employer or manager will look to have a balance of personalities and perspectives on their team, and introverts are an important part of that. 

So how can introverts set themselves up for success?  

Take a self-inventory.  

If you don’t know what kinds of social situations drain your battery, or what kinds of environments help you recharge, you’re going to struggle with balance. Do an objective assessment of these factors and compare them with your professional goals.  

Manage your energy levels. 

If you have any sort of freedom over your schedule, as an introvert, you can use this to your advantage. Making strategic calls ahead of time, such as scheduling periods to go on ‘Do Not Disturb’ after meetings or socially heavy tasks.  

Identify quiet spots in your workplace where you can go to avoid excess chatter and traffic and ask your supervisor for assistance in accessing these spaces if needed.  

The point is to be proactive about knowing when you might hit your limits, so you aren’t trying to pour from an empty cup when it comes to your performance at work.  

Network smarter not harder. 

Most professionals need to network as a necessary part of their career advancement. However, for introverts, excessive networking can be challenging and exhausting. If you find this is the case, focus on building deeper, meaningful connections with a few key individuals, rather than casting too wide of a net to keep up with.  

Focus on leadership skills. 

Often – as loathe as many of us introverts may be to admit it – introverted people make fantastic leaders. With natural observation and problem-solving skills, developing the other necessary leadership traits could give you a huge edge up in your workplace.  

Prioritize yourself. 

It’s easy to push your needs to the side, but in the end, this could result in burnout. Ensure you’re taking care of your needs and doing things that fill your cup in order to help you relax, recharge your battery, and keep you in the right mindset for success.  

In conclusion
 

Every workplace needs introverts; but sometimes, the environment can be draining. As an introvert, be proactive about your needs and energy levels to set yourself up for success.  

Cal Wilson / September 18, 2023

How the heat wave impacts fuel prices

Didn’t enjoy the heat at the beginning of the month? Well, you might hate it more when you hear how it impacted, and may continue to impact, your price at the pump.  

Right now, gas costs about three cents more than this time last year despite an overall drop in the rate inflation. So, what does the heat have to do with it? 

Gas prices climbed with the temperature. 

In the first week of September 2023, the average price per gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline jumped thirteen cents, marking an eight-month high.  

While there are lots of economic and political factors behind this price hike, experts believe the several heatwaves we have experienced this summer have contributed to the problem significantly.  

Why does the heat affect gas prices? 

Simply put, refineries can’t work at full capacity during the extreme heat. These refineries – which convert oil into usable products like gasoline – determine the supply of gasoline to consumers. So, when there is extreme heat right around a holiday weekend, and demand goes up, but supply falls, the price for consumers is naturally going to spike.  

“Petroleum engineers can tell you that when ambient temperatures get to the 100-degree neighborhood, it is difficult to run at maximum levels,” Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at Oil Price Information Service, told USA Today.  

This has particularly been a problem for refineries in states like Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee, which saw a huge slowdown in production due to the heatwaves at the beginning of the month. 

What toll did the September heatwaves take? 

In the first week of September, refinery utilization across the United States decreased by 0.9% to 93.6%. While that might not seem like a huge decrease in theory, in practice, that’s hundreds of thousands of barrels of gasoline per day. Especially during  a high-demand period, that makes a significant impact on supply and demand.  

2023’s heat has caused prices to skyrocket before. 

This past July was the hottest month ever recorded, forcing a lot of refineries along the Gulf Coast to shut down for long periods of time when temperatures passed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Not only did this cause gas prices to rise, but many of the affected refineries spent August running day and night to try to ramp up production.  

Gas stations are not to blame.  

We’ve written before about how gas stations don’t often see the profits when gasoline prices rise. The same is true now. With only about 7% of the retail price of gasoline going to markup, station owners don’t tend to make a huge profit on gas sales, as opposed to secondary revenue. 

Likewise, with price hikes, they are often faced with the difficult decision of choosing to keep prices steady, at a loss to themselves, to maintain customers. Competition over who can provide the lowest price and attract more customers can also put gas profits at significant risk.   

Don’t hold your breath for price drops. 

It’s hard to determine if prices will cool down with the weather. More hurricanes on the horizon in the Gulf of Mexico could further refinery downtime, thus exacerbating the issue.  

The good news is that refineries will soon switch to producing winter-grade gasoline, which contains more butane and is generally cheaper to make, meaning retail prices could even out. 

In conclusion
 

Due to extreme heat conditions we’ve experienced this summer, gas prices have skyrocketed at a worse rate than national inflation. Future prices are also largely connected to the weather, so businesses and individuals should expect to budget for unpredictability.  

Joe Weppler / September 12, 2023

The Key to Stop Undermining Yourself

When it comes to success, there may be nothing so important as self-confidence. Confident workers are more motivated towards achieving excellence – and simply happier in general. Studies have shown a direct correlation between self-confidence levels and tangible advancement at work. The bottom line:  self-confidence in your professional life matters.   

However, even the most self-assured of us can find it difficult to be confident every day. Confidence can be fragile, and it doesn’t always take much to bring us down. Maybe you missed a big sale, have problems at home, or you’re just feeling a little bit under the weather. Negatives in our lives directly affect our levels of self-confidence, whether we notice it at the time or not.  

When it comes to how other people view us and our confidence levels, self-sabotage is pervasive. There are things that otherwise extremely competent leaders do that make others see them as ineffective, and they’re often completely unaware of them.  

So how do we recognize when we’re undermining ourselves?  

Recognizing the Problem Behavior 

The first step in addressing any problem is recognizing and understanding it. A few of the common ways we undermine ourselves in a business setting include:  

Dwelling on the Negative: Whether it’s in casual discussion with colleagues, a business meeting, or simply your internal dialogue, focusing on the bad in any given situation is a surefire way to undermine yourself. An obsession with what isn’t possible or too much consternation over navigable roadblocks make you look insecure and ineffective.  

Lacking Focus on Priorities: A flip-flopper is hard to follow. There is little more disheartening to an employee than putting work into a project only to see it wasted after leadership initiates a change in direction. Flexibility is necessary; a lack of clear and consistent goals is troubling.  

Dealing in Fantasy: In the same vein, goals need to be executable. While a strong vision is crucial, your goals need to be attainable for others to take you seriously. While its admirable to believe in yourself and shoot for the moon, if your goals are so fantastical that your teammates don’t think they are possible, you’ll quickly find yourself spinning your wheels in place.  

Beating Yourself Down: Self-deprecation can be a healthy method to keep your ego in check, but take it too far and you risk lowering the expectations and confidence of those around you. Too strong a focus on your imperfections and mistakes is bound to force those around you into focusing on the same.  

Physical Undermining: While your words say one thing, your body language says another. If you look like you’re not listening, you’re making too much or too little eye contact, you’re fidgeting too much – people are making decisions on your capabilities. First impressions can be very hard to shake, and a lack of control over the physical can be harmful to your image.  

The Key is to Commit 

Now that we recognize some of the behaviors that undermine us, how do we take action towards changing them?  

First and foremost, we commit to recognizing and improving these behaviors in ourselves. 

Commit yourself to be intolerant of these habits from yourself. Recognize which are easy to overcome and which will require real effort. Consider how failing could cost you professionally – whether it’s in your next meeting or one years from today.  

The next step is to commit to self-reflection. You may begin to notice when you’re undermining yourself in the moment, but more likely you’ll see it more frequently in hindsight. In these moments of recognition, be deliberate in your reflection. Think to yourself how you could have handled the situation differently and try to make a note of the exact moment that you slipped up.  

By committing to improvement and being deliberate in our self-reflection, we can start separating our good tendencies from the bad ones.  

Support Your Own Initiative 

Beating yourself down too often? Start collecting positive emails, performance reviews, and feedback in one place to reflect on when you’re down on yourself.  

Procrastinating or showing up late? Start scheduling extra time into your calendar before meetings and giving yourself artificial deadlines on projects.  

Once you’ve recognized how you’re undermining yourself and committed yourself to improving, the final step is creating supporting actions and structures to lean on. You could even consider speaking with career counselor or therapist to help you make concrete plans.  

Challenge your inner dialogue, recognize your own worth, be proud of your accomplishments, and motivated by your mistakes. When we undermine ourselves, we offer others an excuse to lose confidence in us – and as we’ve established, it’s hard enough to keep that confidence in ourselves. So recognize the behavior, commit to fixing it, and give yourself the tools to do so. You’ll be glad you did.  

Cal Wilson / September 5, 2023

The cost of stolen office supplies on your bottom line

It’s not a surprise to any employer that, sometimes, office supplies go missing. It’s not uncommon for employees to take pens, paper, and other supplies home for personal uses. Even use of company printers for non-work related print jobs can eat into a business’ facility supplies budget.  

So how much does this all-too-common behavior impact your business’ bottom line? In this article, we take a look.  

How common is the theft of facility supplies? 

We call this kind of behavior ‘petty theft,’ but that doesn’t mean it’s not a big problem. In fact, it’s probably happening more than you’re even aware. Research has found: 

  • 100% of office workers have stolen a pen at work. 
  • 75% of employees admit to stealing office supplies in the past year. 
  • 24% of employees steal just because they can. 
  • 2% of employees steal larger items, such as chairs and IT equipment.  

What is stolen the most? 

According to office asset tracking expert GoCodes, the most commonly stolen office supplies are: 

  1. Writing utensils, like pencils, pens, and highlighters.  
  2. Notebooks and sticky notes. 
  3. Paperclips and binder clips. 
  4. Staplers. 
  5. Scissors.  
  6. Tape dispensers. 
  7. Printer/copier ink. 

What does it cost a business? 

Some estimates say this kind of workplace theft “may be responsible for roughly 35% of an organisation’s inventory shrinkage annually, and an average of 1.4% of its total revenues.” 

This is just in normal cases, too. There are extreme examples of employees stealing facility supplies that are enough to make any business owner feel faint. Such as, the Austin Library lost $1.3 million in toner cartridges that an employee stole and resold online. 

The rising cost of living might play a part in supply theft.  

In the past few years, everyone has felt the consequences of inflation. The rising cost of living associated with inflation might be a culprit in a rise of office supply theft.  

A recent study in the UK found that employee theft, including the theft of office supplies, has risen by an average of 19% over the course of the ongoing inflation crisis. In some communities, that number is as high as 44%.  

Rising costs especially play a part in office supply theft around this time of year, when back to school shopping for similar materials can put households over budget.  

Why else do employees steal office supplies? 

An employee might take a pen home here and there, thinking it’s harmless, not realizing their actions are a part of a larger problem. Others might ‘getting even’ for a perceived wrong they feel has been done to them, or promise they feel their employer has broken. As mentioned above, others steal simply because they can.  

What can you do?  

As an employer, you can expect this behavior to happen, to some degree, no matter what you do. However, there are steps you can take to minimize it. Some strategies include: 

  • Focus on employee satisfaction. 
  • Keep better track of your inventory – that way you can notice when something goes missing.  
  • Consider a check-in/check-out system with more valuable or long-lasting equipment and supplies.  
  • Lock the area where office supplies are stored and have a select few trusted people with access.  
  • Include clear anti-theft policies in your employee manual.  

Of course, if you find employee theft to be a serious issue for your business, there are more serious monitoring measures you can take, as well. 

In conclusion
 

Employee theft of facility supplies is a rampant problem, and it’s only getting worse as the cost of living increases. While the occasional missing pen or pack of sticky notes might not sound like a big deal, over time, this behavior can have significant costs to your business.Â